Real World Research: Sources and Strategies for Composition

This comprehensive guide emphasizes the cultural value of research and displays a real-world emphasis by showing the important role that research plays in different industries and careers. While the text thoroughly covers traditional research methods, it pays special attention to using interviews, ethnographies, government agencies, the telephone, and the Internet as research tools. Five sample student papers illustrate different approaches to topic selection, research sources, and organization, and provide students with examples of five documentation formats--MLA, APA, CMS, and two versions of CBE.

Note: Each chapter includes Summing Up, Exercises: Sources and Strategies, Writing to Know, and Suggested Writing Assignments. I. Sources 1. Practicing Real-World Research What Is Research? Kinds of Research Research as a Natural Activity Researcher Profile: Matt Roberts, Talent Researcher for The Late Show with David Letterman 2. Exploring Libraries School Libraries Public Libraries College, University, or Research Libraries The Library of Congress Researcher Profile: Elizabeth McIntosh, Former Project Director for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy 3. Using the Internet as a Research Tool E-mail Mailing Lists and Newsgroups The World Wide Web Researcher Profile: Suzanna Aaron, Segment Producer for The NBC News with Tom Brokaw 4. Gathering Information from Government Offices, Museums and Other Archives, and Corporations and Associations Government Publications Museums Archives Publicly Held Corporations Professional Societies and Trade Associations Researcher Profile: Keith Melder, Curator of Presidential Memorabilia, Smithsonian Institution 5. Conducting Interviews Finding People to Interview Requesting Interviews Preparing Yourself Compiling Questions Conducting the Interview Ending the Interview Writing Up Notes Choosing the Best Rhetorical Strategy for Your Paper Researcher Profile: Myles Ogea, Entrepreneur Co-Owner of the MT Cup Coffeehouse II. Strategies 6. Selecting and Narrowing a Research Topic Terminology and Process Meet Kyle Parker Choosing a Topic Kyle's Subject Selection Process 7. Determining What You Already Know Exploring Your Memory to Develop Your Thesis Freewriting Inventing and Shaping Your Arguments 8. Researching the Topic Getting Started Finding Descriptors Defining Search Parameters Determining Whether a Topic Is Too Broad or Narrow Compiling a Working Bibliography Generating a List of Print Sources Keeping a Research Process Journal Kyle's Working Bibliography 9. Collecting Information Organizing Your Search Process Evaluating Sources Taking Notes Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism Note Cards Kyle's Notes 10. Planning an Argument Understanding Your Audience Rhetorical Strategies You Can Use to Make Your Argument Deduction and Induction Writing a Working Outline Kyle's Working Outline 11. Incorporating Secondary Materials Introducing the Work of Other Writers Exploring Contexts Summarizing Paraphrasing Quoting Directly Incorporating Multimedia Materials into Your Project Avoiding Plagiarism 12. Drafting and Revising the Final Project Writing Rituals Kyle's Introduction Drafting the Main Text Don't Fight the Process Drafting a Conclusion Revising Your Draft Kyle's Rough Draft 13. APA Format an Scientific and Technical Documentation Styles Printing Your Papers Correcting Errors APA Parenthetical Citation Footnotes and Endnotes Reference List Kyle's Final Draft 14. MLA Format and Arts and Humanities Documentation Styles Printing Your Paper Correcting Errors MLA Parenthetical Citation Footnotes and Endnotes Works Cited List Kyle's Final Draft 15. Creating Alternative Media Presentations Public Presentations Poster Sessions World Wide Web Sites Video Kyle's Web Page III. Student Researchers Brian Seelig, Interstellar Travel: Searching for a Breakthrough Carole Kirsch, Organ Donation: To Sign or Not to Sign Cathy Bennett, Women and HIV/AIDS: Should Testing Be Mandatory? Sean Slagle, Victorian Culture vs. Wonderland Culture: A Study in the Lack of Understanding Tim Peters, School Vouchers IV. Researching an Internship Considering an Internship Discovering Internship Opportunities